The Jealous Groom by Alexa Riley
Chapter 5
Henrik
“It’s time to wake up,” I whisper in Amber’s ear, kissing her cheek.
“Where are we?” she asks, sitting up and looking out the window.
“We’re about to land in Nova Scotia.” I finish buttoning my fresh shirt and stare down at her naked body. “But first we need to make you presentable.”
“Are you really serious about marrying me, Henrik? Shouldn’t we get to know each other first?”
She bites her bottom lip and sits up but makes no move to cover her naked body. I find her exposed skin too distracting when I need to think.
“We can get to know each other once we’re married,” I answer as I walk over to the closet and take out the pale pink gown and drape it on the bed beside her.
“But what if we get to know each other and we don’t like what we find?” There’s a trace of fear in her eyes, but I kneel down in front of her and take her hands in mine.
“When my father saw our mother in the village, she wasn’t from wealth or title. But he knew she was destined to be his. She was so worried because she’d worked on a farm her whole life and wasn’t well-spoken. She would tell us when we were little that before she met our father she was ashamed of the dirt under her nails and the scars on her hands from labor in the fields. But when he looked at her, those were the things that made him love her. The flaws, as she saw them, were what made her so special.” I take her hands in mine and lean down, placing a kiss on each of them.
“God, that’s so beautiful,” she says softly, and I smile.
“Marriage is compromise, but also communication.” I touch her face and she leans in to the caress. “I will never lie to you, and I will always give you whatever you ask for. My life will be in service to your happiness, and if there is a time when you aren’t getting what you need, then I will fix it.”
“You’re making it hard to say no.” She presses her lips together to fight a smile.
“I’m just presenting you with my case.” I stand up and then hold out the panties I laid out next to the dress.
“I’m a mess.” She looks down at herself and then back at me. “Wait, did you clean me up?”
“You were napping very hard,” I admit, and she smiles.
She lets out a long sigh and then stands up and puts on the pale pink panties that match the dress. The dress doesn’t need a bra, so before she turns around I place a kiss on each of her nipples. They tighten from the attention, but I control myself as I reach for the dress and then help her into it.
“A perfect fit,” she says, holding the dress to her body, and I finish zipping her up.
“As I knew it would be.” I place a kiss on her bare shoulder and then let my lips linger there.
Her hair is down in waves, and she looks like a fallen angel sent here just for me. “Let’s go to our seats before we land.”
I take her by the hand and then scoop up her shoes on the way out of the bedroom. Once we’re seated, I help fasten her seatbelt beside me on the loveseat and place my hand on her thigh.
“What if we regret this?” she says softly, and I look down into her eyes. “What if you regret this?”
“Nei.” I shake my head. “How could I ever regret something that brings me closer to the woman I love?”
She stills at my words. “You love me? How can you be so sure?”
“Why do you need to prove everything?” I smile and then lean down to give her a quick kiss. “How can you be sure that you love your sister?”
“She’s my sister, that’s different.”
“It’s not.” I shake my head again. “It’s a feeling, and one that you trust, just as you trust the sun to rise again each day.” There’s a long pause as she thinks over my words. “You don’t have to analyze what this is, or what it will become, but trust that it is right.”
I thread my fingers into hers and look down at our joined hands.
“Trust that this is forever because I will do whatever it takes to make it so.”
“Just like that?” she says, and this time I nod.
“Just like that.”
“You believe in us enough for the both of us.” It’s not a question but a statement of fact, and I kiss her again.
“Yes, but I believe that you will feel the same in time.” My lips linger, and I kiss along her cheek and down her neck.
By the time the plane lands, she’s panting in my arms and clinging with both hands to the front of my suit. I smile when I lean back, and she has to force her hands to unclench like they have a mind of their own.
“It’s time,” I say, standing up and holding out my hand to her.
She hesitates for only a second before she places her hand in mine, and we exit the plane. On the tarmac there is a carriage waiting for us and she gasps when she sees the white horses. Out here in the sunlight she can finally see the glitter of her dress and how it shines. The strapless pale pink organza gown has jewels sewn into it that catch the light perfectly. I stare at her and she twirls like a princess. I think of how lucky I am that she’s all mine.
“Whoa,” the driver of the coach says from behind me, and I turn around to stare daggers at him.
I had one of my planners organize all of this, and I was specific about what I wanted. Normally I don’t have to worry about staff and their discretion but apparently someone slipped through the cracks.
The man clears his throat and looks away, and I try and rein in my jealousy. Of course people are stunned by my beautiful bride, but I’m not ready to share her.
“Let’s go,” I say and hold out my hand to her.
